Teaching is a very odd profession. It is not normal to have one's personal success measured by what other people do. But that is the case for teachers. Our accomplishments are directly tied with those of our students. I could present the best lesson in the world, but if the kids learn nothing from it, and it provides them no benefit in the present or future, it was just a fancy waste of time.
He needs to soar!
In addition, we may not see the fruits of our labor for ten or twenty years... or ever. Sure a kid may perform exceptionally well on an end of the unit test, but is that really an effective measuring stick? Honestly, who cares how a person performed on the History final exam they took during their freshman year of high school? Would you ask that in a job interview? Would you ask that on your first date with someone special? Heck no.
The true litmus test of the value a teacher added to a student's life is only seen years down the road. If the former student is contributing to society and his or her family, perhaps a teacher played a role in that. Perhaps not. How could a teacher possibly know?
Teachers just need to have faith that what they are doing on a daily basis will pay dividends for their students years later. In addition, we have to come to terms with the fact that we may never get to see these results ourselves. We have to do the best we can to empower each student and hope that some of it sinks in.
Oh please let them remember something I taught.
That is why this week's @steemiteducation homework assignment is so challenging for me. This week @steemiteducation is calling for teachers to share their most satisfying experience you have ever had as a teacher.
Perhaps some people will write about a breakthrough moment they had with a student. Others may write about a student whom they inspired who went on to earn an award. Heck some may just be super proud of the fact that they played a role in helping a child to help himself graduate from high school.
But all of those accomplishments have a couple of things in common. First, they are all about the student. Second, they are immediate and tangible gratification that the teachers and students can experience together. Most of the time, that is the best we can hope for.
Luke and Han's teachers must have been so proud... and Chewbacca's must have been pissed.
However, every once in a while, someone is so blessed that he gets to see the truly important fruits of his labor.
I was that lucky once.
Last year, my daughter MJ was in a 4th grade play. She played Peter Pan in a very small performance produced by an after school extra curricular program in our neighborhood. The day of the show, the only people in the audience were family members of the performers.
My wife, who had arrived a little earlier than I did, saved me a spot. She was seated in the front row with her coat draped over an old, rusty, brown folding chair. Next to the chair sat a man in his mid thirties.
Not sure when the show would start, I quickly removed my coat and sat down in the empty chair.
Then... nothing happened. The kids were having problems with their costumes. As we waited, I alternated between checking steemit and chatting with my wife. All the while, the man next to me kept taking quick glances at me. I could tell he did not want me to notice. After the fifth or sixth time, I was finally motivated enough to close down steemit and take a look at my admirer.
Do I know you from somewhere?
As our eyes met, I cocked my head to the side, squinted and tried to figure out where I knew this man from.
Then he asked, "Mr. Hanshotfirst?"
Oh my god! It was Tyrone!
Tyrone was a student who was enrolled in two of my classes during my first year of teaching almost 17 years earlier. He had a learning disability that made it incredibly difficult for him to read. He also had almost no impulse control. But he was a great kid. I hadn't seen him since the day he graduated. And yet... he remembered me.
I asked what he was doing at this play. He explained that his daughter Aisha, a third grader, was playing Tinker Bell.
Wow! My former student had a daughter who was only a year younger than my own.
Perhaps one problem with the costumes was the fact that there is a big difference between Peter Pan and Robin Hood.
The fates smiled me on that day and continued to cause problems for the kids' costumes. This allowed me to chat with my former student Tyrone. I asked how he was doing, what his daughter's name was, what he did for a living, where he lived, how his family was...?
I asked everything I could. I knew it was a very unique experience to see the finished product one of my students had become.
After he was done answering, he said, "Oh this is my wife, Jada."
I stood up to shake her hand. She also stood up. But she did not shake my hand. Instead, she hugged me. In fact, she hugged me like she knew me (even though I had never met her before). She said, "You're Mr. Hanshotfirst? Tyrone talks about you all the time. He said you were his favorite teacher because you were so tough on him. He said you always got on him to finish what he started. And you always told him that he was smarter than he thought and reading wasn't the only measure of intelligence."
I thanked her and told her that I always knew her husband would make something of himself. He always had a good heart and worked hard.
Then the play started.
I saw my former student Tyrone's daughter play Tinker Bell to my daughter's Peter Pan.
It was awesome.
After the play, we said a quick goodbye and rushed to grab our children and smother them with praise for their performance. We didn't speak any more. But that was ok. I had learned enough.
Tyrone is an auto mechanic.
Tyrone is a good husband.
Tyrone is a wonderful dad.
Tyrone is the reason I teach.
Well done expression
The teacher should know that he is the basis of building society ..
Yes, he will not see the result of his work except in years, he is like the holy prophet of generations
Thank you
Chewbacca don't need no "participation trophy".
This article was so good, I just gave you a follow. Also, I see you're a starwars fan. You may be interested in this article series I'm writing.
https://steemit.com/blockchain/@crypto-maven/article-series-star-wars-universe-runs-off-decentralized-technology-blockchain-and-dags-etc
Curse my metal body I was too slow!
But I'll vote this comment.
Parents should be able to reward teachers in Steem and teachers should have incentives on crypto in general
That's a pretty unbelievable story, very touching. You're very lucky to have had that experience. Sounds like you made a huge positive impact on that human being, that's really something to be proud of.
Thanks. He was such a great kid. I was very lucky to see he had grown in to a good man.
Well written. If I look back upon my academic career, there are but a handful of teachers who stand out in my mind as excellent teachers/mentors. These are the ones that were tough but had hearts of gold. You have done an amazing job if a former student's wife gives you a hug! Kudos to you!
Thanks. If you ever have a chance to talk to those teachers I'm sure they'd love to hear from you.
I would love to find them again, but the odds are not good. Those teacher would be in their 80's and 90's by now...
I have teaching experience and I recall it as my most difficult career! when it comes to younger children, your concerns and stress soars up higher! it's very difficult to be confidant about all your acts, words and behaviors
I'm a teacher. I also teach special education. So I'm a teacher of disabled students. I have dozens of students around me all day. They all have different obstacles. There is a mental problem. I have a physical disability. There is something innate. There are people with disabilities later. I'm dealing with different barrier groups. You can already see it in my facebok profile.
What is important for students is to love them. Accepting mistakes. To give value. Every student is unique. Every student's world is different. Each student's dreams and lives are different. For this reason, it should be considered individually. A student without toilet control. He controlled for Shuan at a time like a year. It started to chat. It also provides verbal communication. This was a trigger for other students. It makes them happy to know that they are love and different. We are more difficult than normal students, but we are very happy. Success is theirs.
I AM DEFINITELY NOT CRYING.
My dog Chewie doesn’t buy it but I told him I had something in both my eyes and then he smelled his butt for a while so maybe crisis averted.
I can’t wait to see my students become real adults. I mean I can in that I don’t really want to rush my life, but I really do think seeing them as grownups (how very un-Peter Pan) will be so satisfying.
I had a tough time with this homework too.
Thanks for another brilliant blog post.
Nice job throwing your dog off the scent!
It is really cool when you run into a student as an adult. Seems like you are just starting out. Good luck and always keep your sense of humor!
I just checked out your blog. I am part of the steemiteductaion team. I love the way you write and am excited to have another teacher join the platform!
Plus I'm really biased by the fact your dog's name is Chewbacca.
I was admittedly a tad excited when I discovered your account. I made my boyfriend start following you as well. He (@somebuttstuff) is an EA and behaviour interventionist working on getting his teaching degree. Both of us are Star Wars fans.
Not to freak you out but maybe we'll all be best Steemit friends forever.
Hah! I think it's time for bed.
Thanks for reading my stuff!
Leaning is far more easier than teaching. I realize it when I get my first tuition. It really heard to understand others something.Sometimes I learn so many things from my students . In my eyes teaching is the heard & tough profession of all. Where you can't make mistakes. Cause If we teach something wrong they will learn wrong.
There's provab goes,"A best coach can't be a best player in his life but he/she can invent a best player".
Thanks for sharing this @hanshotfirst
A good story!
You are to be commended for being a teacher. Often underappreciated and overworked. But an important job for society.
You have my respect sir!
JGV
This was a great read because, I'm someone who never really thought I'd be wanting to teach. I've sort of been a teacher my whole life in a way. In my parents tae kwon do business I was 8 years old and a high green belt teaching a whole class of people up to 30 and 40 years old. I had to step into that teacher role. Not be childish when my parents needed someone to teach the low belt class. Then in high school I thought, "shoot me if I ever have to deal with these kids or a kid like me." Now, I'm like, "I can handle this." I never thought after a panel talk on cryptocurrency, diversity and fintech I'd be asked to come in and do saturdays with minority students learning to code at a local university. Every time I thought about teaching, I focused on the worst worst aspects. Plus, I never liked trying to quanitify something that can't be quanitifed. Seriously, all the tests I've taken in school are useless to me in a way. I got lots of F's because I never cared. Perhaps, this is why helping kids in coding is better for me. I can't teach something in my opinion that doesn't have an immediate application. Your article will really stick with me. Maybe teaching kids and cryptos and coding won't be their life's goal, but I want to make it an important experience in their life they will reflect on. Oh, and if you're able to, check out my introduction. Thanks for reading this if you did.
https://steemit.com/life/@crypto-maven/deeper-introduction-martial-arts-background-and-going-to-the-muhammad-ali-funeral-in-louisville-ky
Teaching coding is awesome! It is going to provide tons of kids with a great career.
This is touching! I hope I am privileged enough to teach someone the way that you have! Your story makes me think of a quote my parents have used a lot throughout my life:
Great quote. That is how I see steemit.
You know this is interesting because I am not an educator but lately I have been figuring out how to teach people about Steemit. I mean, they ask so I try and do the best I can. It made me thing about all my teachers and lesson planning and how much work they did for me. I was literally sitting at my computer trying to figure out the way forward to help all my contacts who have taken the plunge here when I saw your post. At first, I just assumed it was related only to steemit but when I read through it I saw the broader scope. I'm interested to read the responses you get on this.
This platform is going to be a huge source of education for people. So you are leading them to it. You are doing your part!
I am a teacher by profession and teaching is my passion as well. A few minutes ago i was marking the papers that i took today from my students. Your blog's first paragraph is totally the depiction of Teaching Community all over the world. Like you said,
This is more than true, teaching is not a profession rather it is prayer. We being teachers are trying our level best to promote the light of knowledge to kill the ignorance from society to make this wold a beautiful place to live.
More strength and power to you My Great Friend @hanshotfirst you're inspiring the lives of those who have to take the responsibility of the world. Lets together produce the peaceful leaders of the future My Friend :)
My support is always with you in this awesome journey in fact a spiritual journey <3
Stay Blessed, Steem On!
hey sir @hanshotfirst
its really awesome steeming and very excellent post. also shared good snapshot of article which is related to the topics.
wonderful stuff create for followers which learn the best information and ideas.
Keep inspiring others as you inspired me in all these days,
My Support and upvote is always with you
Stay Blessed, Steem On!
What a wonderful post and teacher as well, it seems. That has to be a great experience for you as it would be for anyone. My son had a reading disability and his teacher humiiated him every day telling him he would never amount to anything. He said her constant berating him made him determined to be successful. He managed to get into college, making the dean's list, graduating and going on to earn a couple of advanced degrees. It would have really helped back then to have had a teacher of your caring; however, my son has gone on to start his own company and become a very successful businessman and a leader in his community.
I'm sorry your son had to deal with such negativity. But he was clearly strong enough to overcome it. Congratulations on his success!
Tough but fair. That's my take home tip from this article. I've been wondering how to inspire children to try, to never give up and to make giving back to the community a habit.
Although I've never been around children and I'm not a teacher, a couple of months ago I started an experiment - a free children's holiday entrepreneurship club. One of the biggest issues I'm grappling with is how to convince the members that it is important to obey the club's rules but without making them think about quitting.
Nice talk friend....i'm proudly an Educationist.up next for my post graduate degree.... Many persons never knew about been a teacher...and also the great work of teachers to the society... Teaching is a very noble profession that shapes the character, caliber, and future of an individual. If the people remember me as a good teacher, that will be the biggest honour for me.i had love to work with you,lets join hand to make education a top post on steemit...that will be a priviledge to work with you sir.
@hanshotfirst This is amazing story. My mother was a teacher and I can confirm from her stories that this is the meaning of being a teacher. A lot of people do not recognize your work and the sacrifice the teachers do, but the truth is that if the teachers (the great teachers) do not give hope and do not help the children who have some kind of struggles and to believe in themselves, who then?
Teahers are moulders they may not know how much their input on their students can yield but time tells. God bless every teacher who has been of a great help to many destinies. "so often you find out that the students you're trying to inspire are the ones that end up inspiring you" that's a great quote. I have learned a great lesson not to give up on any student the areas of challenges notwithstanding every student has the chance to become the pride of their teacher someday.
My dad and mum are both teachers and currently I am teaching Chemistry in a Technical School as part of my compulsory one year National Service in Nigeria. Teaching can be very inspiring and rewarding if done with the students at heart at the same time it can be very disheartening if done only for teachers satisfaction as the students will always be far away from the teacher emotionally, psychologically and otherwise which will reflect in their performance thereby making the teacher feel he has failed. I love teaching it's the best way to make the best out of anyone
Wait a minute... your name is actually Mr. Hanshotfirst?
That is incredible.
I'm only joking. That's definitely a cool story.
This is one of the main reasons that I've been wanting to become a teacher...... but I'm still laboring in my restaurant job as it stands.
I am a trainer though and I do teach people how to become servers. I always tell them it shouldn't be your first career choice though and that they should continue going to school. I believe that wholeheartedly.
I had it legally changed after I found steemit lol.
Damn who's cutting onions in here?? This is such an inspirational story we need more teachers like you out there!
Brilliant story. I wonder how many of my students remember me but I’ll probably never know. I’ve also moved around quite a bit so who knows if I’ll be able to remember them. But the most rewarding thing is to see them actually get interested in something because of you. Passion, confidence and optimism is all I really want to instill, I believe they can figure the rest out for themselves.
That was moving. Seeing your hard work and dedication bear fruit is amazing on its own, but when it comes to students, these people that look up to you for guidance... It must have been grand.
I've considered teaching as a professional path in the past, precisely because I believe a teacher's work is paramount in the development of the individual and, consequentially, of society.
Teacher-Student relationships are a mainstay in literature, and I'm always touched by them. In Camus's "The First Man", his final, unfinished work, the main character is able to escape misery in great part due to their teacher's dedication and support. This reminded me a bit of that.
Steem on!
Great post!
I'll admit to having fantasies about moments like these. I'll meet them on the street or at a fancy dinner party or a fundraiser (I'm Bruce Wayne in these fantasies). We lock eyes and I realize it's K.O! My most challenging student yet! And it looks as though he's successful and well behaved enough to function as a member of society! At a dinner party! With me, Bruce Wayne! Later I found out he's the Joker in disguise, but that's not the point. I hope to get lucky enough to see the fruits of our labour one day.
It only took me about 20 years. ;) I'm sure you eventually will.
The world needs more good teachers like yourself. The problem is in most countries its not a highly paid profession so a lot of the quality goes elsewhere. Keep up the good fight.
Great message. Tears in my eyes... thank you.
Thanks for sharing, this was well written.
Where your actions may lead you never one knows! Ourselves we do a good service when others we treat with kindness ;) For sharing we thank you a lot!
i am also a qualified secondary school teacher but i have just 8 years of experience not like you.I have a very good relationship with my students.I hope to live an experience like yours.
Fantastic post, and rest assured that teachers play a vital part of what MOTIVATES the students into excelling. It’s simple, if the teacher is passionate about what they teach then the student picks up on this enthusiasm. So keep motivating them, teachers play a vital part.
On a more personal note, while I was waiting in the pre-op room I met this man who was awaiting his wife to finish surgery. So we started chatting and turns out he is a high school teacher. Turns out his high school is based in a poverty laden area and the parents of the kids are not around, so they lack a lot of guidance. This man took it upon himself to be the guidance for them, he took it upon himself to go to horrible areas in the city and get the kids off the streets and persuade them to come to school the next day.
Eventually he finally got through to them and those kids became financial advisors, lawyers, etc... years later they returned and found him and wrote a book about him, Turning failure into success.
I have a lot of respect for teachers and I think they play a vital role almost as equal as the parents if done right, in the success of a child.
Keep doing awesome things ❤️
I always loved teaching,i used to give tutition classes to school kids for 8 years till grade 10 students
We lack manpower in my country, I got the opportunity to teach the bachelors, immediately after I completed my bachleors
That was the worst bachlr of that college, and since i just finised my bachleors, its was difficult to cope with them, despite I did my best as a guide or instructor , I thought I did not do goood
after a year, 3 students texted me, and they said thay were glad I took their classes and its due to my guide they are doing good and got abroad employment
now I feel like, i did my best and m satisfied that my hard work paid off
you know this is fascinating in light of the fact that I am not a teacher but rather of late I have been making sense of how to show individuals about Steemit. That is to say, they ask so I attempt and do as well as can be expected. It made me thing about every one of my educators and lesson arranging and how much function they improved the situation me. I was truly sitting at my PC attempting to make sense of the route forward to help every one of my contacts who have dove in here when I saw your post. At to begin with, I simply accepted it was connected just to steemit however when I read through it I saw the more extensive degree.
I am a first year teacher, tbh I never had this satisfying experience but I will try to write what I have felt when I got my first real job as a teacher
great post friend
This is inspiring! It helped me a lot. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing this. I've taught for 12 years in low income schools and I don't often get the pleasure of hearing good things about my former students. I recently fell down a rabbit hole on mugshots.com finding nearly a dozen former students charged with everything from weed to attempted murder. It can be so disheartening.
I teach older people 40+. Mind you, I am 22 years old. Not saying that it's easier to teach children but I have to admit that it's also difficult to teach older people because they have their minds set already. Thank God for the patience.
yes good bos
Solid article...Please follow me back if you want @quote-of-the-day
Marvelous and elegantly composed about Teaching, Thanks for sharing your experience , You are doing incredible occupation @hanshotfirst
The article you have written is full of knowledge . I read it with great interest .
Nice post.I respect you very much because you contribute to steemit.I will do activities like you.I would like to extend the steemit.
Very good teaching, worth sharing, thank you.
Awesome and well written about Teaching, Thanks for sharing your experience , You are doing great job @hanshotfirst
wow...you create a great post...i learn many thing from your post....live to reed it...i hope everybody like your post...thanx for shear it